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Jewel Cave National Monument A close-up of calcite crystals/NPS file photo
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Jewel Cave National Monument
Natural Features & Ecosystems
 

The primary resource of Jewel Cave National Monument is the cave itself.  Jewel Cave is a unique world of sparkling calcite crystals, delicate strands of gypsum, and other spectacular cave formations. It contains large rooms strewn with boulders, tight crawlways, and dark fissures leading into the unknown.

 
Calcite rafts in Jewel Cave
NPS Photo
Thin sheets of calcite formed on the surface of an ancient pool of water.  The pool is now gone, and only these delicate "calcite rafts" remain.

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Last Updated: August 23, 2006 at 16:57 MST